Learn to associate

How do we remember the best?  

In order to remember easily, it is necessary to understand how to start to associate with the information you want to remember.
The problem is that the older we get, the more we feel it is necessary to associate in a way that is logical.
The fun part is that this is actually not a good thing to do. This is actually not what our brain likes. Our brain love unusual things.
As long as we experience the unusual things (this sentence is more important than you think). 

I repeat: Our brain loves unusual things, as long as we experience the unusual things.   

We need 'glue' 

This glue consists out of a few basic principles. We made an anagram out of it: SMASHIN SCOPE  

How do you do that? 
  

Actually you have to feel that in order to know how important this is.
You have to do it right, otherwise it will not work.
It is very important to understand that the relationships you're trying to make, should be made with the items you want to remember. You want to remember the keywords and not a part of the keyword. Try to connect the keywords in its essence. You want it to be as pure as possible.
 
 
How to do that?   
  

* Let the items/topics/subject collide with each other
* Connect them with each other
* Stack them on top of each other
* Put them together
* Let them replace each other
* Put them in new situations
* Bind them together
* Rap them in a paper bag
* Let them talk with each other
* Let them Tango together
* Give the objects the same color, smell, sound, size or let them do the same thing.
    
  

 
The Greeks 
  

About 2000 years ago the Greeks were already familiar with these techniques. Back then they looked upon these techniques as cheap tricks. Now, after extensive research, these techniques come very close to the way our brain loves to function.
The Greek already realized that we need a balanced life mentally; you need your left and right side of the brain. 

Did you know that the Greek goddess, Mnemosyne, was the most beautiful of them all? This is probably why Zeus was laying together with her in bed (seriously!). Nine days and nights he slept with her and due to this the nine other gods were made (according to the myths). 

These gods ruled over:
* Lyric poetry
* Epic poetry
* Hymns
* Danes
* Glad games
* Sad games
* Music
* History
* Astronomy 

According to the Greek the coming together of the energy of Zeus and the memory of Mnemosyne led to creativity and knowledge. 

Why is Mnemosyne so important in the Greek mythology? 

If you really want to know all details, go to this site: http://homepage.mac.com/cparada/GML/Mnemosyne.html  

And the Greek were right, because when you apply the principles and techniques of this course the right way, your memory and creativity will increase dramatically. Your mental functioning and the processing of information will increase. And now the funny part, you don't need to do a lot for it, as in your cortex new and dynamic syntheses between your left and right hand side will increase (new connections between several neurons).
    
  

 
Mnemosyne and her talents 
  

She discovered the power of logics and she gave every object a name. This is very important as it is very difficult to communicate when things/objects have no name. It would be virtually impossible to communicate with other people. But the most important factor, she gave humans the power to remember. 

She is the origin of the stories 
  

This is what is known of her. But remember this; ALL stories belong to her, as they wouldn't exist if we cannot remember. We would forget everything if we couldn't remember. Our brain wouldn't be able to recall at all.
 
 
Know yourself and others 
  

Without a memory we wouldn't know who you are and what you do. And even if we would know that, we couldn't remember these facts. Every time that you would question who you are and what you do, we would give an answer as it is the first time you answer this question. We wouldn't grow up; over and over we would respond and react like an infant. Every time we act like it is the first time we experience a feeling, a thought. 

And imagine that we would realize who we are and what we do; if it would stop here, we wouldn't know other people as well. Even our loved one wouldn't be recognized by us; we wouldn't remember names, faces and places. And for sure we wouldn't be able to connect different circumstances with each other. 

Because of these words like "mama", "son” and "wife" would have no meaning at all. Time after time somebody would be needed in order to explain the meaning of these words. But who would be able to do that? And what does it matter if we still cannot remember? 

What's my point here? Without Mnemosyne we wouldn't be able to remember on the long term at all. We simply wouldn't be able to evolve as a human race. We wouldn't have a chance in life. 

Oral tradition wouldn't be possible. The Aboriginals were passing on their knowledge through stories which were told from father to son. These people wouldn't have had a chance to survive without a memory.
 
 
Time awareness 
  

Mnemosyne makes us aware of time 

When you can remember yourself, others and objects, but nothing else, than you still wouldn't understand how things relate to each other. You wouldn't be able to understand why things happen. You wouldn't be able to distinguish "before" and "after". Time, the way we are aware of it, wouldn't be able to exist in our minds. 

The Goddess of all times  

This is why Mnemosyne is the God of all gods in Greek mythology. Not only back then, but also today.
Just for the fact that we realize what it means "TO BE", we need to be able to remember. And if you remember who you are, you at least need memory in order to gain knowledge and experience in the areas of science, art or any other capability.
Because knowledge wouldn't even exist if we wouldn't have been able to remember any of this knowledge. 

 Let's find out what's going on with the SMASHIN' SCOPE